Vector 2 Mod

[rickfri59 0]

I spoke to a Rigger about the possibility of making a Vector 2 freefly friendly. He said for $ 100 the ricer covers would be made bigger, beefier velcro would be used, elastic fabric would be added to keep the main pin flap closed, and an additional flap to cover exposed bridle would be added. Claims he's done a few dozen of these mods and hasn't had any issues. Anybody have experience with making the V2 a freeflyer?

[hookitt 0]

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Anybody have experience with making the V2 a freeflyer?

It can be done, but generally it's a temporary fix. If it were on my back I'd always have some form of gear fear. It's best to leave the vector 2 a damn good RW rig and get something else that starts out freefly friendly. There's more than just the Main Pin cover flap and the risers that make the Vector-2 a much less desireable freefly rig than a rig should be.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[AggieDave 6]

I did that to a Vector 2 and it worked decently well for me. Also, if your V2 is still ROL get the BOC conversion. I think all in all I put about 180 Sit fly jumps on it with out problem, BUT there was always a very large chance that something could have happened, this is why once I had the money, I bought a Wings. I would not go headdown with my Vector2, though, the risk was much too high.

If you do a search, you'll see a dialog that Bill Booth himself had about FFing the Vector 2, it should be in this forum and be from the March-June timeframe (if I remember correctly.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[riggerrob 558]

I have added bridle-hider-flaps to several Vector !! containers. They work well.
As for the main riser covers, just replace the Velcro every hundred jumps or so.

[rickfri59 0]

I found the discussion you referred me to. Looks like I'll save the $ 100 and put it towards a FF rig.

Thanks

[masterrigger1 2]

Hi,
In regards to the updates, we offer a conversion to Tuck Tabs on the riser covers and add "walrus teeth" to the main pin flap.
The two mods are $100.00 plus s/h.
Thanks,
"M.E.L."
Mark E. Lancaster
Skyworks Parachute Service
www.skyworksparachute.com

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[rickfri59 0]

In case anyone else has a Vector II and was interested in this subject, I checked with Realtive Workshop regarding modifiction of the Vector II riser covers. Here's the response from Louie @ RW:

The riser cover tuck tabs conversion is a common question, and the answer is NO!
at least not by
The Relative Workshop. I have seen some Vector IIs with this mod. that someone
has done. This mod
has never been tested by Relative Workshop, therefore it is not approved, and
any Vector IIs with
this mod. are void of their TSO.

[rapper4mpi 0]

It is quite possible to make a Vector II safer for freeflying. If the velcro on the risers is good and the flaps stay closed and you have a BOC, then I consider this safe. However, if at any time any of these things changes, you are risking a malfunction or a premature opening. I have done about 450 freefly jumps with a very secure Vector II in excellent shape. It should be known, that once I could afford the V3, I bought one. We all owe it to ourselves to get the safest equipment we can afford. If that means refraining from freeflying for a while, I would suggest that.
-Rap
D-21553

[masterrigger1 2]

Totaly not true! All of the rigs that are modified in our loft are in complance with the FAR's. A field approval is issued by our local FSDO for all H/C's when they are completed.Relative Workshop does not have to give an approval to a loft to have this done. A letter of request (not a 337)is presented to the local FSDO. Their enginerring group reviews the request and either aproves or disapproves it.
Masterrigger1

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[murray16 0]

Hey mark, I have a vector II a master rigger modded it and put magnetic riser covers on it and tuck tabs on everything... what exactly are walrus teeth jw. The tuck tabs are very stiff, I consider this decently safe for FF would you? THanks!

[mjosparky 3]

The attachment shows you what needs to be done in order to do a modification not approved by the manufacture. You might ask this rigger if his mods are covered by this.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Sparky, Mark, et al,

I do not believe that the riser covers on any Vector are part of the specifications that have beeen submitted to the FAA.

But then I might be wrong . . .

JerryBaumchen

[Thedivingdog 0]

I jump a non modified V2 and am doing Belly so far. A couple of times I have flipped onto my back though for a good 5-10 seconds. Should I not flip on my back at all? What is the danger exactly? Sorry for the noob questions, but that's where I'm at for now..

[masterrigger1 2]

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what exactly are walrus teeth jw.

Walrus teeth are two tuck tabs sew onto the main top flap in such a fashion that they resemble two walrus teeth.

Quote

The tuck tabs are very stiff, I consider this decently safe for FF would you? THanks!

I do not know. Photos would help in this case.

BS,
MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[masterrigger1 2]

Quote

Hi Sparky, Mark, et al,

I do not believe that the riser covers on any Vector are part of the specifications that have beeen submitted to the FAA.

Jerry,
The riser tuck tabs "could" affect reserve deployment if designed or installed improperly.

This is why I wanted to do an approval and the local FSDO advised me to do it in this manner.

Also, I had some modded containers go back to the factory where they proclaimed it was illegal.

Well, they are not and I have paperwork to prove it.

Basically a CMA move.

Lastly, you can ask for an approval on anything BTW through the FSDO in this same manner.

Cheers,
MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Quote

I jump a non modified V2 and am doing Belly so far. A couple of times I have flipped onto my back though for a good 5-10 seconds. Should I not flip on my back at all? What is the danger exactly? Sorry for the noob questions, but that's where I'm at for now..

Don't apologize for asking "noob questions". That's the only way you learn stuff.

What's the danger?

That the relative wind will open up something that you don't want opened. Premature openings, main or reserve, aren't fun. Horseshoes (from the bridle coming out and tangling) aren't either. Having the risers pop out and then having the toggles whip around can lead to some very interesting situations.

Look at the rig. Bridle routing/protection, main and reserve pin protection, riser protection.

"Freefly Friendly" rigs have everthing protected from the airflow coming from the different directions and at the higher speeds that the rig is exposed to during freeflying.

An original V2 doesn't.

Again, look at the rig and if you can, do a side-by-side comparison with a newer, FF friendly rig.

Backflying directly exposes the pins and bridle to the airflow, but not at the extreme speeds.

Should you? That's a question that you really should ask your local rigger, instructors or S&T A.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Mark,

I agree with everything in this post.

I consider the comment from the factory as being their opinion.

JerryBaumchen

[DougH 270]

Bringing this back from the dead.

Is there anyone out there that can mod a Vector 2 to make the reserve flap a tuck in type?

I have a mint vector 2 that I want to use for a casual crw rig. I know there was a crw flap mod that upt put a bulletin out for, but a tuck in flap would be more secure from line snags in all directions.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[riggerrob 558]

CREW mods try to reduce the risk of snagging your reserve pin on your buddy's canopy.
The most common mod is burying the pointy end of the pin in a pocket sewn to the bottom flap. Some containers (e.g. Vector 2) close the reserve bottom flap last to reduce the amount of exposed pin.

The CREW reserve flap mod upgrades the reserve bottom flap from Vector 1 to Vector 2. I have "updated" a couple of Vector 1s to Vector 2s.
I have also seen a ridge of foam rubber seen into the reserve bottom flap to further reduce the risk of snagging your reserve pin on other canopies.
Finally, I have sewn magnets into older Vector riser covers. They stay closed except when I am sideways to the wind when leaning out of a Cessna to drop IAD students.

[hackish 8]

"Can you make my 1996 Durango better on gas?"

"Yep, sell it and get a new truck"

I understand for some closet queens that are in great shape and put in the hands of an experienced jumper but in a lot of cases old gear is best left old and retired.

There are ways you can legally make alterations but you'd better get it right the first time. Gear manufacturers get to make good margins on the gear they sell because they do the research/testing, support and have to hang their nuts out there if some defect causes an injury. The small uninsured rigger ought to be careful of what could happen to their nuts (and posessions).

-Michael

[riggerrob 558]

Agreed, which is why I plead ignorance when asked to install riser tuck tabs on older rigs.
Most of those Velcroed rigs are more than 20 years old.
I sewed magnets into a Vector 2 a decade ago because I got the rig for free and the magnets were a straight replacement for Velcro. We can count on one hand the number of riggers who remember how to replace hook Velcro on Vector riser covers and I only wanted to do the job one last time.

On a similar note, most of my bridle cover updates were close copies of the Javelin factory bridle cover.
The average skydiver could not tell the difference. A rigger would need a few miles of sewing experience before he/she could distinguish between my sewing and factory sewing.

[crapflinger2000 1]

riggerrob

We can count on one hand the number of riggers who remember how to replace hook Velcro on Vector riser covers and I only wanted to do the job one last time

Not in the game anymore but how DO you do this properly w/o opening up the yoke and all that?

I certainly cobbled together some serviceable quick fixes in my time... but if there is a cool guy way, would love to know what I was doing wrong.

__________________________________________________
What would Vic Mackey do?

[riggerrob 558]

Replacing hook Velcro on old Vectors is a dying art.
The task starts with removing the old Velcro, cutaway housings and reserve ripcord housing.
Sew up a new flap, binding tape and all. Copy the factory pattern.
Lay the new flap on the outside of the yoke, a hair inboard of the original flap.
Push slack towards the ripcord housing.
Sew through all layers of the yoke. Copy the factory stitch pattern with straight stitches and zig-zag at the ends.
Re-install metal housings.
Ask a second rigger to inspect your work.
Did you leave the secret 1 inch slack in the cutaway housings?

Replacing pile Velcro on Vector riser covers is easy in comparison. Good thing, because pile Velcro needs replacing 3 times as often.

Hint: I always see on Velcro with 3 rows of stitches. Can anyone repeat the theory behind that trick?
He!
Her!

Another trick is installing magnets in older Vector and Javelin main pin covers. My technique only requires popping a few stitches.

[E-Rach 0]

I have and still use my V2,
I had 2 replacements on the Velcro Risers, and if it needs it again I am confident enough to do it myself; never opened in free fall.
I did a bit of head down stuff and fun free, also had the pin tuck-in-flap, with more Velcro to the BOC for the bridle, never had any problems and iv done 300ish free jumps, and over a hundred wingsuit jumps, but always keep an eye on the velcrow in can last as little as 100 JUMPS!

iv seen a lot of shit jobs with fabric covering bridle, might as well stick with the tried an true bundle and hook.